Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to devices for entertainment and enrichment for horses, and more particularly, to a horse toy that is removably mountable to a support structure.
Description of the Related Art
Horses are intelligent animals that welcome opportunities to play and stay occupied. Horses are typically grazing animals by nature and would graze most of the time if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, domestic horses typically spend a considerable amount of time standing in their stalls waiting to be fed. After feeding, there is little opportunity for the horses to amuse themselves while confined to the stall. Horses can become bored and destructive to self and property when confined.
To combat boredom, various play things, or toys, have been designed for the horse to pick up and hold in its mouth, or to push with its nose or hoofs. Such play toys have been designed to occupy horses in some sort of activity, such as chewing, gnawing, or butting and pushing.
For example, stuffed play toys, such as stuffed human-looking dolls, and dog-like or cat-like dolls, have been used, but these stuffed toys do not maintain a horse's interest, as they are not durable enough, nor do they provide a proper grasping surface for the horse. Additionally, a young, or even an older horse can gag on many of the appendages of such doll-like toys.
Accordingly, there is a need for a horse toy that is durable and won't cause accidental harm to the horse.